KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO Vice-President Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob stressed that there was no specific instructions for ministers from UMNO to resign from the Perikatan Nasional government.

According to him, what was mentioned in the recent UMNO General Assembly (PAU) was only to support the decision of the Supreme Working Council (MKT) before that.

“Actually, there is no decision made during PAU that directs ministers, chief ministers, deputy ministers to withdraw, there is none.

“This is because, in the PAU, the motion approved is a motion that supports the MKT's decision that we remain in the government until Parliament is dissolved.

"That is the proposal accepted in the PAU," he said when met by the media after attending the 2021 Outstanding Service Award Ceremony and Service Medal and Distinguished Character of the Ministry of Defence here on Thursday.

During the ceremony, a total of 293 civil servants received the APC and 45 Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) personnel were awarded the PPT.

Astro AWANI previously reported that UMNO President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in his winding-up speech at the PAU2020 said MKT has received a mandate to determine a suitable date for all key government officials from UMNO to relinquish their positions.

He explained that the mandate will be used to ensure that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) under the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, dissolves Parliament according to the appropriate date.

However, Muhyiddin stressed that all ministers from UMNO had agreed to remain in the PN government Cabinet.

According to him, the decision was reached after his meeting with the ministers on Monday.